The present invention relates to an endoscope. More particularly, the invention relates to an endoscope having an improved structure in the region of a forceps insertion inlet.
In recent endoscopes, the connection portion extending between the operating portion and the insertion portion of the endoscope is sheathed with a cylindrical sheath casing. A forceps insertion inlet projects from the connection portion. The forceps insertion inlet is generally fixed in a single direction considered optimum taking into account the manner in which the endoscope is to be used.
A right-handed person will generally grasp the operating portion with his or her left hand while performing the actual forceps inserting or removing operation with the right hand. However, a left-handed person will usually grasp the operating portion with the right hand and perform the actual forceps inserting or removing operation with the left hand. Accordingly, an endoscope which is easy to use for a right-handed person may not always be equally easy to use for a left-handed person. It is therefore necessary for the manufacturer to offer two versions of endoscopes differing from one another only in the direction of the forceps insertion inlets, namely, one version for right-handers and another for left-handers. This is of course expensive.
As a compromise, manufacturers of endoscopes generally offer in Japan, where left-handedness is societally discouraged, only right-handed versions, whereas in occidental countries, where left-handed persons form a larger percentage of the population, endoscopes are sold in which the forceps insertion opening is disposed at a middle position between the optimum positions for right- and left-handers. Still, however, two endoscopes differing from one another only in this feature must be carried in the product line, which is yet uneconomical.